JP2634636B2 - Image forming apparatus having recycle type document processing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine having a document processing device capable of repeatedly circulating a document.

2. Description of the Related Art As a high-speed copying machine for performing a large amount of copy processing, a copying apparatus provided with a document processing device for repeatedly circulating a document in a recycle manner is already known.

In this main copying apparatus, copy processing is performed by repeating and circulating the original in the transport path by the recycle original processing apparatus.

In the above-described conventional copying apparatus, there is a problem that the document is easily damaged because the document is repeatedly circulated and transported many times through the transport path in the document processing apparatus. When a document is damaged, a wasteful operation such as a step of removing the damaged document or re-creation of the document is required.

It has been proposed to make a copy from a manuscript when the man does not like to damage the manuscript, send the copy to a manuscript processing device, and use it as a manuscript.

In a conventional copying machine that can send copies to a document processing device, it is possible to make a copy using one copy as a document, but it is necessary to automatically make many copies continuously from many documents. Can not.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is capable of automatically transporting a large number of copied documents created from an original document to a document processing device from a transfer position of an image forming apparatus, and having a greater number of copies than the large number of copied documents. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of making a copy of the image.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by including a document tray, a unit for sending a document addressed to one sheet from the document tray to a reading position, and a conveying unit for sending a document from the reading position to the document tray. In an image forming apparatus having a recycle type document processing apparatus,
A first document tray in which a document tray is arranged adjacent to a means for sending a document to the reading position; a second document tray and a third document arranged adjacent to the first document tray and arranged one above the other; And a transport means from a reading position is formed so that the original can be transported by switching between a first original tray and a second original tray by a switching claw, and the third original tray is provided with a copy paper transport of an image forming apparatus. This is achieved by an image forming apparatus having a recycle type document processing apparatus, wherein a copy paper is formed so as to be able to be loaded by a connection conveyance path branched from a path.

Further, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problem by providing that the second document tray and the third document tray are formed so that one sheet of paper can be sent to the first document tray, and that the original document is placed on the first document. A copy original prepared from the original is placed in the third original tray, and the original original whose copy original has been created is stored in the second original tray. When the first original tray becomes empty, the original is copied from the third original tray. This is achieved by transferring one document to the first document tray and circulating the copy document accommodated in the first document tray so that a plurality of copies can be made.

In addition, the present invention solves the above problem when a copy original is stored in the first original tray and a jam occurs during copy creation.
This is achieved by the configuration in which the process of supplying the original document from the second document tray to the first document tray to create a copy document is preferentially performed.

According to the present invention, the first type in the recycling type manuscript device
Even if a document is stored in the document tray, a copy after transfer of the image forming apparatus can be sent to the third document tray, and a copy document can be created automatically from a large number of original documents. The finished original document can be stored in the second document tray, so that all copy documents created from the original document can be transferred to the first document, and the creation of the copy document and the subsequent copy can be continuously performed. It can be done automatically and automatically.

Embodiment Details of the present invention will be described based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

In FIG. 1, a copying machine main body 1 is provided with an image forming portion in a known manner. In the image forming portion, image information read from an original by an optical system 2 is charged by a charging charger 3 and charged by an eraser 4. The image is projected by the optical system 2 onto the photoreceptor 5 from which the charges other than the necessary image area have been erased, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image.

The electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 5 is developed by a developing device 6 to become a visible image, and the visible image is transferred to a transfer sheet under the action of a transfer charger 7 at a transfer position.

After the transfer, the photosensitive member 5 is cleaned of residual toner by the cleaning device 8, and the process from charging is repeated again.

A document processing device 9 for transporting a document to a reading position where the document is read by the optical system 2 is disposed on the copying machine main body 1. In the copying machine main body 1, transfer paper is transferred from a paper feeding device 10 through a transfer position and a fixing device 11. A transport device 13 that transports the paper to the paper discharge tray 12 is provided.

The transfer paper is fed from the paper feeder 10 by the transport guide plate 14 and the feed roller 15, is sent to the transfer position at the same timing as the photoconductor 5, and the visible image of the photoconductor 5 is transferred at the transfer position. The transfer paper sent to the fixing device 11 by the transport unit 16 and fixed thereon is discharged to the discharge tray 12 by the transport path 17. The paper feeder is provided with a plurality of, for example, two paper feed trays or cassettes 10a and 10b so that transfer papers having different sizes or paper qualities can be switched and fed.

The transport path 17 includes a main transport path 18 extending from the fixing device 11 to the sheet discharge tray 12, and a first branch position provided in the middle of the main transport path 18.
Inverted transport path that branches at 19 and extends in opposite directions
20 and a return conveyance path 21. Further, at a second branch position 22 of the main transport path 18, a connection transport path branched from the main transport path 18.
23 are provided.

An intermediate tray 24 is provided at the exit of the return transport path 21. The transfer paper accommodated in the intermediate tray 24 is sent out by the pickup roller 25 from the lower transfer paper stacked, and the double feed is prevented by the separation roller 26.
The sheet is transferred to the transfer position through the transfer guide plate 14 at the same timing as the photosensitive member 5.

In the case of double-sided copying in which both sides of a document are copied, and in the case of combined copying in which images of a plurality of documents are combined and copied, the transfer paper transfers the image once, is fixed by the fixing device 11, and then is returned to the return conveyance path 21. , The image is temporarily stored in the intermediate tray 24, and the visible image is again transferred at the transfer position. When returning to the intermediate tray 24, in the case of double-sided copying, the sheet is once guided to the reverse conveyance path 20 and then guided in reverse to the return conveyance path 21, so that at the transfer position, the surface opposite to the first time is exposed. It is conveyed so as to face the body 5, and in the case of a composite copy, it is guided from the main conveyance path 18 directly to the return conveyance path 21, and is conveyed to the transfer position such that the same surface as the previous time faces the photoconductor 5. Is done.

The first branch position 19 of the main transport path 18 is formed, for example, as shown in FIG. 2 and is a substantially cross-shaped branch point.

At the first branch position 19, first rollers pressed against each other to feed the transfer paper fed through the main transport path 18
27, a second roller 28, and a switching claw 29 are provided. First
Roller 27 and second roller 28 comprise a plurality of roller-shaped rollers having a plurality of roller pieces mounted at intervals on a shaft. The first roller 27 has a plurality of roller pieces arranged between the respective roller pieces so as to be displaced in the axial direction of the first roller 27 so as not to come into contact with the respective roller pieces. 2A, the roller piece of the third roller 30 enters between the roller pieces of the first roller 27 to block the reversing conveyance path 20, and the position where the roller piece separates from the first roller 27 and opens the reversing conveyance path. Between them is arranged to be switchable by the action of a solenoid (not shown). When the third roller 30 is at the position shown in FIG. 2A, the transfer paper is sent straight to the discharge tray 12 along the main transport path 18. At this time, the switching claw 29 closes the return transport path 21 and switches to a position where the transfer paper is guided along the main transport path 18.

In the state of FIG. 2B in which the third roller 30 has moved to a position away from the first roller 27, the transfer paper is
By the action of 30, the sheet is guided to the reversing conveyance path 20 and fed by being sandwiched by a pair of reversible conveyance rollers 31 which are pressed against each other, and after the rear end of the transfer sheet has separated from the first roller 27 and the second roller 28, The reversible transport roller 31 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the transfer paper is switched by the switching claw 29 to the main transport path 18.
The main transport path 18 is switched to the switching position to close the return transport path 21 so that the main transport path 18 is
You will be guided to the side. As a result, the transfer paper is sent to the paper output tray 12 after being turned back and forth and upside down.

When the original processing device 9 is used, the transfer paper usually needs to be sent to the discharge tray 12 with the copy surface facing down for page alignment. It is discharged to the paper tray 12.

When the switching claw 28 is switched from the state shown in FIG. 2B to the position where the main transport path 18 is closed and the transport path 21 is opened as shown in FIG. 2C, the transfer paper is the same as in FIG. 2B. The transfer sheet is once guided to the reverse transport path 20, and the transfer paper is guided to the return transport path 21 by the reverse rotation of the reversible transport roller 31. In this case, the transfer paper is sent to the intermediate tray 24 with the front and back and the front and back reversed, and shows the transport mode after the front side copy of the transfer paper in the case of double-sided copying.

When only the switching claw 29 is switched to the position shown in FIG. 2C at the position of the third roller 30 in FIG. 2A, that is, the position in which the main transport path 18 is closed and the transport path 21 is opened, the transfer paper is transported in the main transport path. This shows a transport mode in a case where a plurality of images are synthesized and copied on the same surface by being guided from the path 18 to the return transport path 21 and stored in the intermediate tray 24 without being reversed.

At the second branch position 22 of the main transport path 18, the connection transport path 23 branches as shown in FIG. 3, and the fourth roller 32 and the fifth roller 33 pressed against each other slightly before the branch point of the main transport path 18. Is disposed, and is switched between a first switching position in which the main transport path 18 is opened and the connection transport path 23 is closed and a second switching position in which the main transport path 18 is closed and the connection transport path 23 is opened. A claw 34 is provided. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, when the second switching claw 34 is at the first switching position, the transfer sheet is sent to the paper discharge tray 12, and the second switching claw 34 is at the second switching position. When the transport path 18 is closed, the transfer paper is sent to the connection transport path 23. The fourth roller 32 and the fifth roller 33 can be formed as a dumpling roller like the first roller 27.

Although the discharge tray 12 is simplified in the drawing, it can be a shift tray that can collate each copy.

The document processing device 9 arranged on the copying machine main body 1 is formed as a recycle type document processing device (abbreviated as RDH).

In FIG. 4, a first document tray 35 is provided in the RDH 9. Documents are placed on the first document tray 35 with the image side to be copied facing down, and the documents are fed one by one from below by a feed roller 36 driven by the operation of the first clutch 65. A document sent out from the first document tray 35 is supplied to a predetermined position on a contact glass 40 of the copying machine main body 1 by a transport drive roller 37 driven by a first drive motor 66 and a transport belt 39 wound around the transport roller 38. It is sent to the reading position. At the reading position, exposure is performed by the scanner 41 of the optical system 2.

The document that has been subjected to the exposure reading is sent to a horizontal transport path 44 through a return path 43 formed by the branch claws 42. Horizontal transport path 44
Then, the first feed roller 4 driven by the second drive motor 67
The document is fed by the fifth and second feed rollers 46.

The end of the horizontal transport path 44 is formed in a substantially U-shaped curve, and the original in the horizontal transport path 44 is inverted and sent out to the second document tray 47.

A third document tray 48 is disposed below the second document tray 47. At the entrance of the third document tray 48, the end of the connection conveyance path 23 of the conveyance device 13 is provided with transfer paper from the main conveyance path. , Turn over so that the copy side faces down, and
It is arranged so that it is sent over 48.

In the middle of the horizontal transport path 44, a branch path 49 for circulating and transporting the original in the same state as the first original is provided on the first original tray 35,
The second branching pawl 50 is arranged to be switchable between a switching position indicated by a solid line for guiding the current state to the second document tray and a switching position indicated by a broken line for guiding to the first document tray.

Normally, original documents are placed on the first document tray 35
Set 51 with the original side down. Documents are fed one by one by a paper feed roller 36, exposed by a scanner 41 on a contact glass 40, and passed through a return path 43 to a horizontal transport path.
From 44, the document is sent to the first document tray 35 by the second branch claw 50. In this case, the first document tray 35 also serves as a paper feed tray and a paper discharge tray, and can automatically automatically feed the returned document after one cycle. This makes it possible to make a copy while circulating the original. This is the same as in the related art, and some originals may be damaged during repeated circulation. In the present invention, in order to avoid this, the original document is sent to the second document tray 47 by the horizontal transport path 44 after exposure and can be stored therein. Similarly, the second and subsequent original documents are stored in the second document tray 47.

On the other hand, the transfer paper on which a copy is made by image formation and transfer from the original document is sent from the main transport path 18 of the transport device 13 to
The document is fed into the third document tray 48 with the copy surface down through the connection conveyance path 23 branched at the second branch position 22, and can be stored and used as a document.

When making a copy of the same original from the second sheet, the original original is not used, and the copying process is performed using the transfer paper 52 stored in the third original tray 48 as the original. The transfer paper in this case is called a copy original 52.

In order to make a copy of a two-sided original, the original whose surface has been exposed is once sent to the horizontal transport path 44, and the trailing end of the original is returned to the return path 49.
If the first claw 42 is detected by a first sensor 53, for example, a switch before reaching the first feed roller 45, the branch claw 42 is then switched to the position shown by the chain line in FIG. Is reversed, and the original is guided by a guide plate 56 and sent to a reversing path 54.
By the reverse rotation of the reversing roller 55 driven by the driving motor 68, the original is sent from the reversing path 54 to the contact glass 40 through the guide plate 57 as it is. The original is thereby fed with the back side facing down, and the first drive motor
The sheet is sent to a predetermined reading device by the transport belt 39 which rotates in reverse by the reverse rotation drive of 66.

 The operation of the device according to the present invention will be described.

Normally, in the control device, the flow shown in FIG.
In the case of manual feed, one or more copies are made in the same manner as a normal copying machine. Details are omitted.

When the RDH is used, the number of copies is read to determine whether the number is three or more.

Whether a plurality of copies are made by circulating the original manuscript or by making a copy manuscript and making the copy manuscript can be appropriately designated by an operator using a key or the like. The original document can be used when the number of copies is three or less, for example, and when the number of copies exceeds three, it can be automatically switched to the copy using the copied document.
An example in which the number of copies to be used is set in advance will be described.

The number of copies for which the use of the copy original is selected can be selected based on a balance between the efficiency of the working time in making the copy and the probability of damage and contamination of the original original. The three sheets only show one example.

When the number of copies is three or less, the copy original creation flag is cleared, and a copy is created using the original original. At this time, the original document is sent from the first document tray 35 as described above, and is circulated to the first document tray 35 by the second branch claw 50 from the middle of the horizontal transport roller 44.

If the number of copies exceeds three, a copy original creation flag is set.

Check that the copy original creation flag is set
When determined by the subroutine SUB110 shown in FIG.
It is determined whether or not a copy document exists in the document tray 48, that is, the intermediate document tray. That is, it is determined whether or not a signal indicating that the copy original is present in the third original tray is output by the second sensor 58.

The copy original is set on the third original tray 48 and the first original is set.
Until it detects that the documents in the document tray 35 are exhausted,
The copying process is performed on the original document on the first document tray 35 according to the main routine. In this case, the original document exposed by the scanner 41 is placed in the second document tray 47.
Sent to and accommodated. When the copy original is set on the third original tray 48 and the original on the first original tray 35 runs out, the copy original selection flag is set.

Whether the number of copies is less than three or more than three,
When entering the copying process, it is determined whether the copy creation mode is normal copying, composite copying, or double-sided copying by the subroutine SUB170 in FIG. 16 and the subroutine SUB180 in FIG.

When it is determined that the copying is a normal one-sided copying, a normal copying is performed by a main routine (not shown).

When creating a copy, if necessary, use the 7th
If it is determined by the subroutine SUB120 shown in the drawing that the copy original creation flag is 0N, the first paper feed tray selection flag is set, and the transfer paper is fed from the first paper feed tray.

One of a plurality of paper feed trays or cassettes provided in the paper feeder 10, in this embodiment, the first paper feed tray 10a is suitable for a copy original which can withstand a process of making many copies. For example, a copy paper that is stronger than normal copy paper is set, and the first paper feed tray is preferentially selected as a copying apparatus when a copy original is created. Is configured to feed the transfer paper from the printer.

When the copy original creation flag is set and there is no original in the intermediate original tray, that is, the third original tray 48, a copy original creation process is started, and the transfer paper on which the image of the original original has been transferred from the photoconductor 4 at the transfer position is First after fixing
The vehicle moves straight ahead at the branch position 19, and is guided by the connection transport roller 23 by the second switching claw 34 at the second branch position 22, and is stored in the third document tray 48 as a copy document. First document tray 35
The copying process is continued until the creation of the copy original is completed for all of the originals set in the original document.

When a copy document is set on the intermediate document tray 48 and the third sensor 59 of the first document tray 35 determines that there is no original document on the first document tray 35, a copy document selection flag is set (sixth document). Figure).

In the process of creating a copy document, copying from the original document is continued unless the jam is determined in the subroutine SUB130 shown in FIG. 8, and the copied original document is stored in the second document tray 47.

At the time of copying with the original document, the number of copied documents is determined by a paper feed counter, for example, a fourth sensor 60, which feeds the document when the document is fed from the first document tray 35.
And the number of paper feeds is added to the document number counter m. It is determined by the subroutine SUB150 shown in FIG. 10 whether or not there is a document on the first document tray 35, and it is determined by the third sensor 59 that all original documents have been fed from the first document tray 35 and the document has run out. Upon detection, the final count number m is stored in the document number memory m ', the document number counter m is set to 0, and the transport permission flag a from the third document tray 48 to the first document tray 35 is set. On the other hand, if it is determined by subroutine SUB150 that there is no document in first document tray 35, it is determined whether or not paper can be fed, that is, whether or not transport permission flag a is set, and a command to feed paper may be given. If it appears, feed paper.

That is, when it is determined by the subroutine SUB151 in FIG. 11 that the transport permission flag a is set, the feed roller driven by the operation of the third clutch 70
The copy original on the third original tray 48 is the first original tray 35
Sent on When the paper is fed, the subroutine SUB150 determines whether or not the number of fed sheets m matches the stored number of original documents, that is, the document number memory m '. If it is determined that the feeding of the copy original is completed and the values do not match, 1 is added to the original document counter m by the feeding detection of the fifth sensor 61 for each feeding, and the feeding is continued.

If it is determined by the subroutine SUB152 in FIG. 12 that the transport permission flag a is set, it is determined whether or not the transport has been completed, and the subroutine SUB150 determines that the number of transported copy originals is the same as the original number memory m '. That is, when it is determined that the conveyance is completed,
Clear the transport permission flag.

When the creation of the copy original is completed and the copy original selection flag is set in FIG. 6, it is determined by the subroutine SUB140 shown in FIG. 9 whether or not the one-cycle copy operation has been completed. Continues copying, and when the one-cycle copying operation is completed, the copying has been completed for all the originals. Therefore, the number of copies n is subtracted by 1 to determine whether the number of copies has reached 30. .

On the other hand, it is determined by a subroutine SUB160 shown in FIG. 13 whether or not the copy original creation flag is ON. If the copy original creation flag is set by the subroutine SUB100 shown in FIG. 5, the original size is read by a sensor or the like. Also, read the copy paper size and determine whether the original size and the copy size, for example, the transfer paper size are equal,
If they are different, the magnification is calculated, and if they are equal, the magnification data is stored in the memory corresponding to the document order number without changing the magnification. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, an area is secured in the RAM area for each order of the originals, and the magnification at which the copy original size becomes constant is stored in the memory according to the copy size and the original size. Then, a copy document is created in the same size.

Normally, copy originals are created on paper of the same size, so if the original originals vary in size, calculate the magnification according to the difference in the size of each original and perform the copy original creation process as a different magnification image. Thus, a copy original of the same size is created.

When creating a copy original, the subroutine SUB1 shown in FIG.
If it is determined in step 70 that the mode is not the mode for creating a composite copy original, and if it is determined by the subroutine SUB180 shown in FIG. 17 that the original is not a double-sided original, a copy original is created by a normal copy process from the original original by the main routine. You.

When the paper feed tray is specifically selected by the subroutine SUB120 shown in FIG. 7, copying is performed on the selected copy original paper fed from the selected paper feed tray. The created copy manuscript is transported by the copy machine
At the second branch point 22 of the thirteen transport paths 17, it is guided to the connection transport path 23 and stored in the third document tray 48 of the RDH 9. When the copy original creation processing is completed, in subroutine SUB160,
The copy creation mode flag is set.

If the copy original is a composite copy, subroutine SUB1
At 70, first, it is determined that the original is a first original, that is, the copy is made on the first side, and the carry flag b to the main body intermediate tray 24 is set, and the copy process is performed. The copy document in which the first original document is created is stored in the intermediate tray 24 through the return transfer path 21 at the first branch point 19 of the transfer path 17 of the transfer device 13 of the copying machine body, and the transfer flag b is cleared. Next, it is determined that the original is the second original, that is, the copy is made by the second side, the transport flag c to the second original tray 48 is set, and the copy original supplied from the intermediate tray 24 is subjected to copy processing. 2. A copy of the original document is created, and is transported to the third document tray 48 through the connection transport path 23 in the second branch turn. When the combined copy original is stored in the third original tray 48, the transport flag c
Is cleared.

Subroutine SU shown in FIG. 17 for a two-sided original copy
In step B180, it is first determined whether or not the copy is a front copy. If the copy is a front copy, the normal copy creation process is directly performed, and the copy is conveyed to the third document tray 48 for storage. When the conveyance of the front copy to the third document tray 48 is completed, the conveyance flag c
Clear

When it is determined that the copy is a back copy instead of a front copy, the original is reversed. That is, the original document after the front copy created by the transport belt unit 39 is
After the original is sent to the horizontal transport path 44 by the first feed roller 45 driven by the third motor 67 and the rear end of the original is detected by the first sensor 53, the second drive motor The first original roller 45 is rotated in reverse by the reverse rotation of 67, and the original document is reversely fed in a state where the branch claw 42 is switched to the position shown by the broken line by the action of a solenoid (not shown). The original document is sent to a reversing path 54 by a reversing roller 55 driven by a third driving motor 68, and after a predetermined time, the reversing roller 55 is reversely driven by the reverse driving of the third driving motor 68, and the original document is fed from the reversing path 54. The sheet is sent upside down, is sent to a predetermined position of the contrast glass 40 by the transport belt 44 that is rotated in reverse by the first drive motor 66 in reverse rotation, and stops.

When the document reversing process is completed, the original document is copied, and the back side of the document is copied.

When the backside copy is completed, the copy original whose backside copy has been completed is stored in the third document tray 48 in the same manner as described above.
When the conveyance of the back side copy to the third document tray 489 is completed, the conveyance flag c is cleared.

The front and back copy originals of a plurality of original originals are thus stacked on the third original tray 48 in the order of front copy original, back copy original, front copy original, and back copy original as shown in FIG.

Creating a double-sided copy from a single-sided copy original is very effective in terms of time when a large number of copies are required. After the copy is completed, the copy original is not required.

As another example, only the front side of the original document is copied first, and the front side copy document is stored in the third document tray 48,
It is also possible to create a backside copy original from the inverted original, and store the backside copy original on the front side copy original in the third original tray 48.

Also, the copy original itself can be formed as a front and back copy.

When the copy document creation process is completed and the copy creation mode flag is set, the document number and magnification data for each document number stored by the subroutine SUB162 in FIG. 15 are called, the size of the copy document is read, and stored. Copy magnification calculation to return the image size to the image size of the original from the image information being processed (copy original size) × 1 / (magnification data), select the copy paper of the same size as the original, and make a copy to go into. At this time, the subroutine SUB182 shown in FIG.
Is used to determine whether the copy is a two-sided original. In the case of the composite copy, since the copy is made based on the copy document for which the composite copy has already been completed, it can be processed in the same manner as a simple one-sided copy.

In the case of single-sided copy, copy creation processing is normally performed in the copy creation step of the subroutine SUB162 in FIG.

In the case of double-sided copying, in subroutine SUB182 of FIG. 19, it is determined whether or not the document is a double-sided original.
When the one-sided document, that is, the copy of the front side, is completed, the copy sheet is once stored in the intermediate tray 24 in an inverted state at the first branch point 19, and the copy of the next one-sided document, that is, the back side document is sent out by the intermediate tray 24. The copy paper that has been subjected to the front and back duplex copying to be copied onto the copy paper to be copied is discharged to a discharge tray. By repeating this process, a predetermined number of double-sided copies are created. That is, a one-sided to two-sided copy process is performed.

In subroutine SUB182 in FIG. 19, it is determined whether or not the original is a double-sided original.If the original is a double-sided original, it is determined whether or not the copy original is a single-sided original. Make a copy. If the copy original is double-sided, first make a copy of the front side, and the front side copy is once stored in the intermediate tray 24 in an inverted state at the first branch point 19, and then the copy original is reversed, and The back side is copied on the fed copy sheet. The copy sheet that has been subjected to the front and back double-sided copy is discharged to a discharge tray. By repeating this process, a predetermined number of double-sided copies are created. That is, double-sided to double-sided copy processing is performed.

When making a copy from a copy original, the number of copy cycles n is increased by one each time a copy cycle for a predetermined number of copy originals is completed by a subroutine SUB140 shown in FIG.
It is determined whether the copy cycle n has reached a predetermined number of times, for example, 30 or more. The predetermined number is set based on the number of times the copy original can be used.

If the number n of copy cycles exceeds 30, the use limit of the copy original has been reached. So you have to recreate the copy, but if the remaining number is small,
You can continue copying and do not create a new copy. In this case, copying can be completed in a shorter time. In this example, three sheets are set as breaks of whether or not to re-create a copy original. It is determined whether or not the number of remaining copies is 3 or more. If the number of copies is 3 or less, copying is continued until copying is completed. If the number of remaining copies exceeds 3 copies, there is a risk that the copied document may be damaged. , The document creation flag is set, and a copy document is created again. The creation of the copy original is the same as described above.

The current copy document discharge flag is set, the used copy document is discharged to the second document tray 47, the copy document discharge flag is cleared, a new copy document creation process is performed, and the copy document creation flag is cleared.

The discharged copy original can be manually put into the discharge tray 12 and used as a copy. In addition, the used copy original is automatically switched and branched from the horizontal conveyance path 44 to the second document tray 47 from the conveyance path, and is formed as an extension of the horizontal conveyance path 44, for example, as shown by a chain line. Transport path 44a
Through the paper tray 12.

After creating the copy original, clear the copy original creation flag,
Copy creation continues with the new copy original as described above. Not needed when less than 30 copies, but 30 more
When the number of copies is more than 60, for example, when the total number of copies is more than 60, the copy original is re-created as necessary by the subroutine SUB140 again to create the remaining copies.

The re-creation of a copy document includes a method in which the original document in the second document tray 47 is moved to the first document tray 35 to create the copy document, and a method in which the original document is created from the copy document in use.

If a jam occurs during the creation of a copy by a copy original, the first sensor 53, the second sensor 58, the sixth sensor 6
2. The jam is detected by the operation of the eighth sensor 64 and the like, and the jam is displayed by the subroutine SUB130 shown in FIG.
Inform. When the jammed original is removed and the copied original cannot be used, it is necessary to create the copied original. When the copy key is depressed in the state of clearing the jam, a copy original creation flag is set, a copy original is created by the above-described method, and the copy original creation flag is cleared.

For example, if a jam occurs when making the fifth copy,
The fact that the jammed copy document is the fifth copy is stored. When the copy key is depressed, a copy document creation flag is set, and a copy document creation process is performed. That is, after the jam processing, all the copy originals on the first original tray 35 are sent over the original originals on the second original tray 47. That is, all the copy originals are temporarily stored in the second original tray 47.

Next, when the creation of the copy original is started, all the original originals are once sent to the first original tray 35 under the count of the seventh sensor 63, and the copy originals are kept stored in the second original tray 47 at that time. The first four originals of the originals in the first original tray 35 are returned to the second original tray 47 again as they are, and are stacked on the copy originals. The above-described copy document is created using the fifth original document. The resulting copy document is stored on the third document tray 48.

Since there is no need to create a copy for the sixth and subsequent sheets, the original on the first document tray 35 passes through the contact glass and is stored on the copy on the second document tray 47. All original documents are in the second document tray
When a copy is stored in the original document 47 and a substitute for the copy document that has become unusable due to a jam is created, the process returns to the copy creation mode, and the fifth copy document recreated in the third document tray 48 is placed in the first document tray 35. Then, a copy document below the original document on the second document tray 47 is sent to the first document tray 35.

All copy originals are stored in the first original tray 35, and copy creation is restarted.

When a jam occurs, a copy manuscript is automatically generated as described above, whereas the original manuscript corresponding to the jammed copy manuscript is contact glass 40.
After the copy button is depressed and the copy button is pressed, the copy is stored in the third document tray 48, and is further stored at the top of the copy document in the first document tray 35 from the third document tray 48. You can also. At this time, the required number of copies can be made, and one of the copies can be stored in the third document tray 48. The original document on the contact glass is displayed or the like so as to be removed by an operator.

Advantageous Effects According to the present invention, even when a large number of copies are repeatedly made, a copy original can be automatically created from an original original, and a large number of copies can be automatically and continuously created from the copy original. became.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the entirety of a copying apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a first branch point of a copy paper conveying path.
A, B, and C respectively show different states of the switching position of the feed path and the switching claw, FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the structure of the second branch point, FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the recycle document processing apparatus, and FIGS. FIGS. 13 and 15 to 17 and 19 are flow charts showing a copy original creation and a subroutine in copy creation, FIG. 14 is a view showing the relationship between the original number and magnification data, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an arrangement of copy originals on a first original tray. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copy machine body, 9 ... Document processing device 10 ... Paper feeding device, 13 ... Transport device 16 ... Transport belt (document sending-out means) 23 ... Connection transport path, 35 ... First document tray 44 ... Horizontal conveying path (conveying means) 47 Second document tray, 48 Third document tray 50 Second branching claw

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An image forming apparatus having a recycle type document processing apparatus having a document tray, a unit for sending a document addressed to one sheet from the document tray to a reading position, and a conveying unit for sending a document from the reading position to the document tray. A first tray disposed adjacent to the means for feeding the original to the reading position;
A document tray, and a second document tray and a third document tray disposed adjacent to the first document tray and arranged one above the other. And the second document tray is switched so that the document can be transported, and the third document tray is formed such that copy paper can be loaded by a connection transport path branched from the copy paper transport path of the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus having a recycle document processing apparatus. A second original tray and a third original tray formed so that sheets can be sent to the first original tray one sheet at a time; The created original is accommodated in a third original tray, and the original original for which the original copy is completed is accommodated in a second original tray. When the first original tray becomes empty, the copied original is transferred from the third original tray to the first original tray. 2. The recycle document processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of copies can be created by circulating the copy document stored in the first document tray by transferring one copy to the first document tray. Image forming apparatus. And a step of supplying an original document from the second document tray to the first document tray to prepare a copy document when a copy document is stored in the first document tray and a jam occurs during copy creation. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to execute the processing with priority.